NATCHEZ — A rise that will be the second-highest ever recorded crest on the Mississippi River is projected to reach the Miss-Lou by mid-month.

The National Weather Services’ Lower Mississippi River Forecast Center predicted Monday the river will rise to 60 feet on the gauge by Jan. 18.

Flood stage at the Natchez-Vidalia gauge is 48 feet. The only time water has been higher in recorded history was the 2011 flood, when the record May 19 61.95 foot crest — driven by massive rains in the Ohio and Mississippi River valleys — took weeks to recede.

The current rise is driven by similar circumstances, NWS forecaster Mark McAllister said.

“This is pushed by all the rainfall they had upriver in the Ohio,” he said. “Of course (the forecast) can change, but that is what we are predicting right now.”

The river is expected to be at 44.6 feet and rising this morning, and should hit flood stage Saturday morning.

Emergency management and local officials met Monday to discuss what will be done as the waters rise.

In between meetings with the City of Vidalia — which caught the brunt of the 2011 flood on its riverfront — and the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, Concordia Parish Homeland Security Director Payne Scott said much of the planned flood fight will mirror the 2011 event.

That will include bringing back the hesco baskets — temporary walls filled with sand — that formed a mini-levee around buildings on the riverfront, Scott said.

“We are preparing for the rise, and (the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers) rebuilt the levees, so we are not worried about the levees being breached, but we are getting prepared — you never know if it is going to rain in the Ohio Valley big time,” he said. “It is a stand-by type of deal. You just get ready to go.”

In a statement from the City of Vidalia, officials said they’re working with “key personnel, city engineers and pertinent state and federal agencies” to discuss what steps need to be taken, but because of the 2011 flood, the city has the advantage of knowing what steps need to be taken.

Vidalia Mayor Hyram Copeland said he will be able to use his previous and current organizational networking to find out how things are going upriver should the predictions bear out.

“Being a member and current co-chair of the Mississippi River Cities and Towns Initiative, I have developed a close working relationship with the mayors along the Mississippi River. This relationship allows me to easily obtain first-hand information and updates concerning water levels of the Upper Mississippi River.” Copeland said.

“This is only the first of many meetings we will hold to get updates on where we are with the preparation process. We will keep the citizens of Vidalia informed as we receive information.”

Fifth Louisiana Levee District President Reynold Minsky said the district has already activated its flood watch program. Members began riding the levees starting this week to watch for sand boils, which occur when water forces its way under the levee.

“We know we have a flood fight on our hands,” he said.

In the meantime, Minsky said, the best thing residents can do is stay off the levee.

“Don’t travel on the levee unless it is necessary,” he said. “It is soft, and we don’t need any traffic on it. We have some slides on it already south of Lake Providence.”

Most of Adams County is high enough to be immune from the floodwaters, but a few low-lying areas are affected. Emergency Management Director Robert Bradford said his office and the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency are still monitoring the situation.

Those who live or have camps in the areas that flooded last time need to be prepared to temporarily relocate some items or animals, he said.

“Don’t wait until the last day to move,” he said. “Go ahead and start moving, because we don’t want it to happen like in 2011.”

In Natchez, Mayor pro tem Joyce Arceneaux-Mathis said she will be meeting with the Public Works Supervisor Justin Dollar, the police and fire department and representatives of Jordan, Kaiser and Sessions engineers today to discuss the plan for Natchez’s flood fight.

Most of the city is well above the projected water level, but a few places — notably Natchez Under-the-Hill and Silver Street — are impacted. James Biglane, who owns a significant amount of property Under-the-Hill, has already contacted the city, she said.

“We know the particulars, most of the low-lying areas we have had before,” she said. “We already have a water plan in place, and Mr. Biglane has already called us about some materials he has down (Under-the-Hill).

“We are going to be ready for this.”